Orchard Farm (10 MW solar farm)
Orchard Farm is a 10 MW solar farm project in Swale, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: operational since 2 February 2016; the record was last updated on 16 March 2016.
10 MWsolar farm
operationalstatus in REPD
16 March 2016record last updated
Swalecouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 7 August 2014 | Application submitted |
| 22 October 2014 | Planning permission granted |
| 5 October 2015 | Construction started |
| 2 February 2016 | Operational |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 10 MW
- Status (REPD)
- operational
- Record last updated
- 16 March 2016
- Operator or applicant
- Omega Solar / OPDE
- Planning authority
- Swale
- Planning application reference
- 14/502072/FULL
- Site area
- 24.9 ha
- Address (REPD)
- W/O Orchard Farm, School Lane, Iwade, Sittingbourne, Kent
- Council area (by location)
- Swale
- Time to decision
- 11 weeks
- REPD reference
- 4846
Who decides
| Applications | Swale | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 40 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 5 (12%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 4 of 30 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 1 of 3 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 0 of 7 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 15.1 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 3 / 3 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raspberry | solar farm | 49.9 | approved, not built | 0.2 |
| Bobbing solar farm | solar farm | 11.3 | operational | 1.5 |
| Kemsley Substation | battery storage | 49.9 | operational | 3.0 |
| Kemsley Energy Park Battery Storage | battery storage | 120 | approved, not built | 3.2 |
| Ridham Avenue, Swale Way - Kemsley Battery Energy Storage | battery storage | 249 | approved, not built | 3.6 |
| Plot 2B EurolinkV | battery storage | 20 | under construction | 5.5 |
| Vigo Lane, Borden Solar Farm | solar farm | 40 | approved, not built | 5.6 |
| Tonge Corner Farm | solar farm | 22 | operational | 5.9 |
| Land off Queenborough Road | battery storage | 40 | under construction | 6.5 |
Status and dates as recorded in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract); the database is compiled from public sources and can lag behind council decisions. Location: REPD grid reference (51.3698, 0.6989).